Unit Division Board (Nienhuis)
Made by Nienhuis Montessori · shipped by Heutink International (Netherlands) About the maker
The unit division board with a box of nine green skittles, a green bead cup and eighty one green beads, for the division tables with dividends one to eighty one and divisors one to nine. Division is taught here as literal sharing out: the skittles are the people, the beads get dealt round one at a time, and whatever will not go round evenly is the remainder sitting in plain view. Nobody has to define a remainder to a child who has just been left holding two. Wood with plastic, for ages 3 to 6.
“Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world.”
The Unit Division Board transforms abstract division into a concrete experience through the physical distribution of beads among green pegs. Each green peg on this 9×9 grid represents a divisor, while beads serve as the dividend to be shared equally.
- Understanding division as equal distribution through physical manipulation
- Discovering quotients and remainders through hands-on exploration
- Memorizing division facts from 1÷1 to 81÷9
- Recognizing the inverse relationship between multiplication and division
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The Unit Division Board's numbered axes create a visual framework where children discover quotients by counting how many beads each peg receives. This hands-on manipulation reveals division as the inverse of multiplication, as children physically see remainders when beads cannot be distributed evenly. The board's systematic grid layout allows exploration of division facts from 1÷1 through 81÷9, building a sensorial understanding before abstract algorithms. Through repeated work with the Unit Division Board, children internalize that division means equal sharing, preparing them for more complex mathematical concepts. The tactile experience of placing beads creates muscle memory that reinforces numerical relationships.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Place the Unit Division Board on a mat with a container of beads and green pegs. Position the board so the numbered axes are clearly visible.
- 1
Choose a division problem, such as 12÷3. Place 3 green pegs in the top row
Start with problems that divide evenly before introducing remainders - 2
Count out 12 beads as your dividend
Have child count aloud to reinforce quantity - 3
Distribute beads one at a time to each peg in sequence until all beads are placed
Emphasize equal distribution by placing one bead per peg before starting the next round - 4
Count the beads under each peg to discover the quotient (4)
Point to each column while counting to reinforce the visual pattern - 5
Record the equation: 12÷3=4
Connect the concrete work to abstract notation
Every Child Is a Little Creator
Heritage
Since 1929
In classrooms
Around the world
European brands
Nienhuis, GAM, Educo
AMI approved
To the association standard
Unit Division Board (Nienhuis)
